Calling Back
by Monkeybarrel
Summary: WA- Sometimes you have to get lost to find what you need.


Disclaimer:  Wild Adapter and all its teasing is owned and operated by Kazuya Minekura.  

Warnings:  Language.  Also, small clue.  //////////////// = going back to a past event. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ = going back to the present.  

Calling Back

Tokitoh slumped down on a bench in front of the Mr. Donuts.  With his hands in his pockets, he slid down till his chin was just sitting on his chest and his legs sprawled out.  People passing by stepped aside, and a few shot him dark looks, but he didn't care.

This is all Kubo-chan's fault.  

As if sensing his dark mood, his pocket suddenly started buzzing.  He glowered at it for a few moments until it hit the 3rd ring and he took his phone out and looked at the display.

"Kubo-chan" it blinked.   

He glowered for one more ring before finally pressing the receive button and putting the phone to his ear.

"Eh?" was all he said.

/"…Hello, Tokitoh?"/ Kubota's voice was its usual low-key.  

"What is it, Kubo-chan?"

/"Ah, sorry I took so long.  I finished though.  You ready to go?"/

Tokitoh held the phone to his ear as he looked around.  The last thing he wanted to tell Kubota was that he was lost, not after everything he'd said in the store.  He grimaced.  Now what…

/"Tokitoh?   You there?  What's wrong?"/

"N-nothing's wrong.  Baka.  Everything's…fine.  Fun.  Havin' a blast."

/"Ah, good.  Ready for home?"/

He paused, and tried to mentally go over his options.  

One- try to find my own way back.  

Two- tell him I'm lost, 

Three- ….

…he didn't think there was third one.  Fuck.  Damn lame ass choices…

Without thinking he answered back, "No. I'm not ready yet.  I'll be here for awhile."

/"Oh, what are you doing?"/

"Uh…Busy stuff."  God, that sounded so stupid.

/"Oh, good for you." Kubo-chan's voice was still the same.  "I'll come and meet you there."/      

"No, I'm-" he slapped his head- think think, dammit, "I'm, uh, in the middle of game-"

/"Right now?"/

"Uh."  Fuck,   What was he doing?   He couldn't lie to save his life. "Uh, um, ah, waiting in line.  It's almost done.  My turn is soon."

/"Ah…I see.  Well, I'm come and wait.  We can go home after."/

"No!"  

/"No?"/

Dammit.  His hand hit his forehead.  Kubo-chan so knows now.

/"What's wrong?  You sound strange."/

"Nothing's wrong."  He slid even further back until his butt was off the bench.  Just-stupid café-no-DDR-dumb-puricura-lost-raining-kubo-chan-depressed-lame-ass day…  

/"Tokitoh?"/  Kubo-chan's voice cut into his thoughts again.

"…Nothing's wrong." He repeated.  "Look, I'll meet you when I'm done."

/"That's fine."/  Still no change.  Same old Kubo-chan.  /"In front of the station.  Think you'll be done in a half hour?"/

God, he hoped so. "…yeah."

/"Okay, good luck."/

Tokitoh clicked off, and puffed out his cheeks.  He looked up at the fiberglass that covered the walkways in the shopping district.  The rain was still falling.    

He slowly got up and made his way down the street.

Maybe it's this way…

He slipped the phone back into his pocket, and left his hand there, his fingers rubbing absently the plastic screen that had been lit only a minute ago. 

/////////////////////

Where the fuck did they move the game center?

It had been right next to the bread store, and before that video shop.   RIGHT here.  

He had stared cross-eyed at the bright café that now stood where before the only place that had DDR for less than 300 a yen a go once had been.   He made the mistake of going in.  

"Welcome!" the counter girl cheerfully called out as he opened the glass doors.

He gave her a silent nod from the entranceway.  As he looked around at the orange vinyl seats and yellow flowered tables, the realization was hitting him slowly, like a wave.  

What the- what happened?  He looked to the left.  Where's the DDR?  And then to the right.  That kick-ass motorcycle game?  He turned a full circle.  Tekken?   Dragonquest?  Even the lame-ass catcher machines are gone.  All gone!  What the fuck?

"Can I help you?" the girl in the yellow flowered smock beamed over at him.

He stared dumbly at her and then back at the corner where the 200 yen Dance Dance Revolution had been.

She took his silence for an affirmation, and kept going.  "We have 30 different kinds of coffee!  Like Dark roast, Columbian, Vanilla bean," she turned back to the menu hanging behind her. "And today's specials are a white chocolate latte and a-"

"DDR…"

"Excuse me?"  The smile turned back to him.

He waved his gloved hand at the corner.  "…DDR…where did it go?"

"Huh?  Was that something we used to have?"  She turned back to the menu and squinted.   "Do you mean the 2E3?  That's our special espresso.  Buy two shots and the third is free!"

He made a face.  "No, I mean, DDR.  You know.  Watch the screen, move feet, look cool."  He waved his arms a little to emphasize his point.  "You know, 200 yen, only place that it's that cheap."  

"Our biscotti is 200 yen," she piped up.

"No, I mean- argh!"  His head hit a counter for the second time that day.  "The game center.  Where did the game center go?"  

"…Oh."  The smile fell for a moment.  "Was that here before?"

"Yeah,"  He looked back up at her and waved to the left, "Next to the bakery."  And then waved to the right. "Before the video store."  And then both hands on the counter, "Game center- right here."

"…Uh…"  She gave him a regretful smile.  "I'm not sure what was here before, but we opened two weeks ago."  She peeked over his shoulder and nodded to the back.  "We have that left though.  Is that what you're looking for?"

Tokitoh quickly turned and looked to where she was indicating.  In the side corner, next to a giant smiling coffee bean, stood the last remnant of the loud, neon-lit, only 200 yen DDR in Yokohama game center.

A Doraemon photo-club machine.  

"Isn't it cute?"  The smile was back, full blast.  "And they just left it behind.  Can you believe it?"

"Argh!"  He stormed out of the café without a look back.

"Come again!" he heard her call after him. 

He didn't pay attention to where he was going after that.  Just stomped off in a direction, too pissed to think.  How could they close that?  And how the fuck could they take everything but that stupid puricura machine?  Didn't they know he went there?  Where's the customer service?  Fuckin' A! 

Ten minutes into his fume-and-walk, he took a few steps passed a Mr. Donuts and then suddenly stopped.

What the- He turned and saw the street behind him, which also was unfamiliar.

Another full circle and another wave of realization hit.    

Ah, fuck…

This is all Kubo-chan's fault.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

After they talked on the phone, he had walked for another ten minutes before giving up and going back the other way.  Everything just became more and more unfamiliar.  He passed the Mr. Donuts where he had sat and came to another street.  He squinted at both sides, trying to remember which way he had come from.  Did he pass a Denny's?  

Fuck.  He didn't know why he was chasing his past, if he couldn't even remember five minutes ago…

He finally took the right and kept walking, but everything still looked…different.  Or maybe it was the crowds of people slowly milling about between stores.  He cursed under his breath as he slowly made his way down the street.  Even on a Saturday in the pouring rain, people still went shopping.  

That wasn't why he was here though.  Not the real reason.  But he seemed to be stuck in the reason he made up to be here.  

"Stupid stores…stupid rain…stupid Kubo-chan…"  He grumbled under his breath as he walked.  He didn't care if anyone heard him.  Maybe they'd get out of his way faster.  Why were people being so slow? 

Someone's shoulder pushed passed him in the opposite direction, knocking him back.  He turned to glare and yell, but then what was behind him started to push forward and he tripped.  He got up again and stood still as people kept passing, one way or the other.  

He looked around- at the faces, the windows, the lights, and just shook his head.  

"…stupid me…"

He broke out of the mass and sat down next to one of the vending machines lining the side of a shop.   He leaned his head back and could feel the soft hum of the machine.  He closed his eyes and lost himself for a moment in that hum.  The noises of the crowds dimmed and the rain pounding on the walkway's covering grew even fainter.  

Suddenly a sound broke the hum, and his eyes tore open, his hand automatically going for his pocket.  He had his phone open by the second ring.

"Hello?"

/"Ah, Tokitoh?"/  He rolled his eyes, and couldn't help but smile a little.  Even though Kubo-chan was calling his phone, he always asked if it was him.

"Yeah?"

/"Ah, sorry…hard to explain, but I think I'm lost."/

"…what?"  He looked at the phone for a second and then held it back up to his ear.  Kubo-chan never got lost…

/"Yeah…I don't know what happened.  Turned the wrong way somewhere.  Anyways.  Can you tell me where you are?  Maybe I can find you."/

"Oh…um…"  He looked around.  He still had no idea where he was.  He let out another sigh.  Think it's time for option two.

"Ah, Kubo-chan?  Um…it's like…uh…" 

/"What's in front of you?"/

"Huh?'

/"Tell me what's in front of you."/

He looked up.  Beyond everyone moving, he saw a stationary shop, a used book store and a-

"A Mosburger."  He answered.

/"Ah, that's good.  Anything else?/

"Just some card shop, and on the corner there's an ice cream place."

 /"Ah, okay."/ There was a pause on the other end for a moment, but then he was back.  /"Can you stay there somewhere?  Just out front?  I'll keep wandering and maybe you'll find me."/

"Find…you?"

/"I'll be looking all lost and forlorn.  Hard to miss.  Keep your eyes out, okay?"/

"…Baka…"

/"I know, I know.  Just stay there.  Then you'll find me."/  And with that Kubota clicked off.

Tokitoh just looked at the phone that blinked "Kubo-chan" for one more second and then turned off.  

He scowled and looked around until he finally spied a free bench and sat down again..  

You'll find me…what the hell was that supposed to mean?  Baka-Kubo-chan…

////////////////////

Tokitoh's head hit the counter.  "You know, that guy- that singer guy.  He-" He groped around for words but nothing came to him.  "He…sings!"

The music clerk behind the counter, his spiky hair lightened with red tips, looked back at him blankly.

"You know, that- that guy, he did that spinning thing with the guitar." To demonstrate he turned once fully around and then looked back at the counter.  The blank look had slackened a little. 

The clerk scratched his head slowly.  "Globe's new album just came in…is that it?"

Tokitoh scrunched up his face.  "What?"

"They don't play guitar though…and it's a girl and two guys." The clerk kept scratching.  "Can you spin around again?  Maybe I can figure it out."

"Argh!" He turned and stormed away from the counter.  

"Globe's the other way!" He heard the clerk yell from behind him.  He stomped away from the music section of the store and headed towards the stairs that led to the first floor, and to the books, and to Kubo-chan.

He cursed to himself.  Why was he even bothering to look for the CD?  That's not why he really came, and he didn't know who sang it anyways.  

Fuck.  This is all Kubo-chan's fault.  

He stomped towards the stairs and headed partway down.  Looking over the side, he saw right below him a familiar head bent over in a magazine.

"Naaaah, Kubo-chan, aren't you DONE yet?"  Tokitoh hung his arms over the stair railing.  He had been looking at CDs for nearly a half hour, but Kubota still wasn't finished reading. 

Kubota flipped a page without looking up.  "Almost done."

"…C'mon…this is sooooooo boring."  Tokitoh swung his arms back and forth.  From where he was standing on the stairs, he could just reach Kubota's head.  Kubota made no sign that he noticed the light touches from above.  

"Did you find the CD you were looking for…"  Kubota flipped a page.  

"...Nah…"  Tokitoh slumped down on the steps.  "…I couldn't remember who did it…"

Kubota made a "hmmmmmm" noise as he turned another page.

He leaned his head against the railing bars.  This was so not why he came here.

Why did he come here?

Not for that stupid CD.

But because of the stupid rain.

And stupid Kubo-chan…

He looked down again between the bars and saw Kubota flip another page.  He reached out and flicked Kubota's hair again, but he still didn't look up.  

He hated these days, when Kubota just got stuck somewhere, somewhere before- before Tokitoh woke up in his bed.  

"It's like it's fucking raining in here…" he said beneath his breath.

"What did you say?" Kubota's voice carried up to him.

Tokitoh shook his head for a moment.  "Nothing" was just on the tip of his tongue, but then his eyes fell on the gaming magazine behind the ones Kubota was looking at.  He stood up and pounded down the stairs.

"I'm going to the game center." He walked passed Kubota who was still bent over reading.  

Kubota looked up from the magazine.  "What?"

Tokitoh scowled back.  "I don't want to wait.  I'm going to the game center."

"Oh," was all Kubota said at first.  "You know where it is?"

"Of course I know where it is!" He waved at him angrily.  "I've been there tons of times."

"Three…I think."

"Like I said.  Tons.  Besides, I know what I'm doing!"  

Kubota started to put his magazine down.  "Want me to go with you?"

"No, I'm fine.  You read your magazines.  That's why we're here, right?  So go read already!"

"I thought we came because you wanted a CD."  Kubota looked back at him.

Tokitoh looked away from his gaze.  No, that's not why they came here.  But for some reason he didn't know how to say that, like he had forgotten those words like everything else.    

Instead he turned around.  "Just…call me when you're done."  And a second later, the automatic doors opened and he was gone.  

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Tokitoh stared absently from the bench at an older man depositing change into the drink machine.  The guy seemed to only have 10 yen coins, because he'd put in about 8 so far, one by one.  Tokitoh counted without thinking about it.  Nine, Ten, oops, dropped one.  11, 12...Finally after the last coin, the guy peered slowly at each drink, moving back between the Green Tea and Fiber-Mini.

"If you're not quick enough, they'll give you the coffee…" he muttered.  The next moment, he heard a clanking noise.  A drink dropped down before the guy had chosen.  He watched the man bend over and pull out a small can of what looked like black coffee.  He gave it a perplexed look and put it down on the ground and dug out another handful of coins, and started to deposit them- one by one.  

Tokitoh rolled his eyes and looked back up at the covered walkway.  Five minutes had passed since he had gotten off the phone.  As the clinking of each coin reached his ears, he started to get up.  This waiting thing wasn't going to work either.

Just as he sat up, his pocket started to ring again.  He took out his phone, and without looking at it, clicked receive, and put it to his ear.

"Yeah, it's me." He sighed.  

/"Ah, Tokitoh?"  Kubo-chan asked anyway.  "Just one question."/ 

"Yeah, I'll still here."  He leaned back into the bench.  The man must have finished putting his money in since he was once again bobbing back and forth over the drinks.  

/"Good, but that's not it."/

"What then?"

/"What do you want for dinner tonight?"/

"What?" He turned away from the machine and the man who'd received another black coffee.  "What are you talking about?"

/"You know, dinner?  That thing we do a lot.  I cook.  You eat.  Sound familiar?"/

"Hey, I cook!" he retorted.

/"You boil water wonderfully.  No one better.  Now, any ideas?"/

"I dunno.  Something."  He squinted ahead of him.  How much change did that guy have on him?

/"Care to be specific?/

"I don't care…"  He shook his head in disgust as the man placed his third black coffee on the ground.  "Just…not curry."  

/"Hmmmm…that's funny.  Because I was really thinking, tonight- tonight's a good curry night.  Not you?"/ 

"No way!  Not curry."

/"But think of the choices.  We have what we made on Wednesday still and I think in the back, we have that chicken curry from last week.  We could mix even.  It'll be exotic."/

"You are so not funny."

/"Who's being funny?  I'm just thinking about what we have at home."/

"Kubo-chan, just do me a favor.  Go shopping. " 

/"What, and waste good food?  That wouldn't be right."/

Tokitoh covered his eyes with his hand.  He could still hear the plink-plink of coins as the man dropped them one-by-one into the vending machine.  "For real.  Do something else.  Anything else."

/"Aaaaaanything?"/ The way Kubota dragged it out gave him shivers.  

"Anything but curry!"  

/"You hate my curry that much?  I'm hurt."/  

"Baka!  That's not what I mean.  I don't hate- it's- argh!  Just, call you back!"  He clicked off the phone, shoved it into his pocket and then turned and stomped over to the vending machine where the man was once again bobbing his head while choosing.  He pushed passed the man and slammed both fists on the buttons at the same time, one on Green Tea, one on Fiber-Mini, and then stood back.  Both of them stared as the machine shook for a second, and then two clanking noises were heard as the drinks came down.  The man bent down slowly and took them out with both hands.  He turned around, but Tokitoh had already gone back to the bench and sat down.  

"Thank you," the man called out hoarsely behind him.  Tokitoh simply slumped back into his seat.  

He puffed out his cheeks and stared above him.  Another sound broke his thoughts and he looked down.  He made a face as his stomach rumbled again.  

"Curry again…Fuck…" he muttered.

He took out his phone and looked at it, then back at the street.  Rolling his eyes, he finally opened up his phone, pressed 1, then "send".  

"Calling Kubo-chan" blinked across the screen.

"This is all your fault," he muttered, waiting.      

//////////////////

Kubota had been sitting on the couch since he'd gotten up.  At least that's what Tokitoh had guessed.  He woke up to feel only empty space as his arm stretched out across the other side of the narrow bed.  He trudged out of the bedroom only to find a cooling coffee pot and Kubota sitting on the couch, smoking silently and absently staring out the glass doors to the balcony, where the sky was ash gray and pouring rain.  

"…m'ning."  He yawned, rubbing the palm of his hand over his eye.

"Mmmm," was all the couch smoker said.  

Tokitoh scowled at the glass and the wet outside beyond it and turned to pour himself a cup.  "It's too early for this shit…" he muttered, opening the fridge for the milk.    

He hated these days.  Kubota just traveled around in a funk that seemed impossible to break into. Tokitoh spent the rest of the morning at the Playstation, with Kubota only a few feet behind him, but neither said anything to each other.  The funk just stayed in the air, heavy and thick like the smoke quickly filling up the living room.  After he lost another round of Tekken, he tossed the controller and fell back on his elbows, puffing out his cheeks.  Looking back, he saw Kubota staring off towards the balcony and the gray skies beyond.  An unread newspaper sat in his lap.  

Stupid rain….

He looked outside.  Whatever it was that brought this on, Kubota never said.  And he never really pried outside of the one time, when he asked if Kubota hated rain.  Kubota simply responded that if it looked that way to Tokitoh, probably it was.  "I don't really understand myself" was his reasoning.  

"Yeah, but I don't get you either," he grumbled as he went into the kitchen to make another cup, but found only an empty pot.  He made a face as he went to the cupboard to get the coffee.

"I'm gonna make some more, okay?" He waved the pot in the air.  

"Mmmmm," was what the couch responded back with.  

Flipping the "on" switch on the coffeemaker, he headed back to the TV, the screen of which showed blue now after he'd turned off the PS.  He stared glumly at it, and at the games on the ground, and at the controller that he had tossed after losing that last time.

Stupid rain…

He stared back at the windows, and then at the couch.  Kubota had rubbed out the end of his cigarette and was already reaching for another only to see that the pack was empty.  He got up and walked past Tokitoh to the kitchen to grab another from the carton.  Tokitoh watched the retreating figure in the glass's reflection.    

Stupid Kubo-chan…

Without thinking about it, Tokitoh grabbed Kubota's arm as he was breaking open the next pack and made for the door.

"Tokitoh…What is it?"  Kubota allowed his arm to be pulled, but dragged behind.

"Just…c'mon!   We're going out."  Tokitoh kept pulling.  "I need…something!  So, c'mon?"  

"What 'Something'?"  

"Uh…uh…" He had reached the entranceway with Kubota in tow, and bent down to put on his shoes.  "….I really want…I want to get that album…by that guy we saw on TV the other night."

"Which guy?"  Kubota slipped on his coat.

"That…that guy.  You know, the singer guy." 

"I thought you were asleep during that show."

"Uh…"  He faltered for a moment.  He had been asleep.  Both of them had been on the couch watching TV, and one of those music shows came on.  He had a vague memory of some guy singing.  He had another vague memory of Kubota's hand on his head during the program, but when he woke up, he found himself alone on the couch with a blanket over him.  

He was awful at lying so he focused on tying his shoes as he talked.   "…I was awake.  That guy, whats-his-name.  The one who sang that song."

"How are you going to find it if you don't know his name?"  

"I'll find it, just…C'mon!"  Tokitoh swung open the door and walked out. 

He heard the usual "Hai Hai" from behind him and the sound of the door closing and locking.  Tokitoh gave a quick glance to see Kubota following and then headed for the stairs.  He silently hoped that he'd remember the singer's name on the train.       

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Kubota picked up after one ring.  

/"Tokitoh?  What happened?"/

"…nothing…"  He looked up.  The man and whatever drink he took were gone.  "Just…had to do something."

/"Ah, I see."/

"…yeah…"  He sat for a moment and then started again. "Say, Kubo-chan…"

/"Hm?"/

"…today…um…"

/"What about today?"/  

"…um…just…you know…"  Dammit.  He looked at his feet.  They offered no help.  He looked back at the vending machines, and then the stores, but nothing jumped out to save him.  He finally bit his lip and looked up, only to see Kubota looking down at him, still holding his phone.  Tokitoh's mouth fell open.  "Kubo-chan!"

/"Just, you know…what?"/ Kubota kept speaking in the phone, even as he came around the bench.  Tokitoh sat up, making room, and Kubota sat down next to him.  

Tokitoh shot him a look.  "How long have you been here?"

Kubota shrugged.  /"Long enough."/  He held up his right hand which was holding a cup.  /"You want some?"/

Tokitoh gave him a questioning look, and with his one free hand, took the drink.  "What is it?"

/"Today's special."/

He took a sip.  It was warm and sweet.  Like milk and-

"Chocolate?" he asked.

/"White Chocolate Latte.  A little sweet, but not bad."/ Tokitoh passed it back, and Kubota took a sip.  /"So which one do you think he really wanted?"/

"What do you mean?"  Tokitoh took back the cup for another drink.

/"The tea or the energy drink?"/  Kubota leaned back on the bench.  /"Mmmm…I think he took both though so I guess it doesn't matter."/

Tokitoh gave him a cross-eyed look.  "You asshole.  How long were you just standing here?"

/"Long enough to see you molest a vending machine.  I'll have to remember that trick."/

Tokitoh scoffed.  "You'd never be able to pull it off as smooth as me."

/"I only aspire to your greatness."/

Tokitoh managed to somehow hold his phone, the drink, and flip Kubota off at the same time.  Kubota only smiled back.  They sat there silent for a minute, just watching people passing.  

Tokitoh took another sip and looked up.  "…I was just tired of him putting in all that money…people are so lame."  

/"Did you notice he left you something?"/ 

Tokitoh looked back at him questioning and Kubota pointed to below the bench.  He bent down to see a row of black coffee cans lined-up at his feet.  "Fuck, what am I supposed to do with all these." 

/"Take them home.  They'll go great with dinner.  Mmmm…curry."/

"No FUCKING way!" 

/"Mmmm…and on the third day, it's gets that chewy texture I like so much."/

Tokitoh leaned forward until his face was only a few inches from Kubota's. "You can just stay lost then."

Kubota looked back at him, a smile across his face, and leaned forward until they were nose to nose.  He spoke quietly into his phone. / "I guess there's no other way then."/

"What?"  

/"You just had to find me in front of a yakiniku place, didn't you?"/

"Huh?"  Tokitoh scrunched his face up, and Kubota took his chin and turned it so he was facing the store front.  There was the stationary shop, the Mosburger, and then…a small yakiniku restaurant.

/"Shall we go in?"/ 

Tokitoh looked back to see Kubota click off his phone and stand up.  "Well, ready?"

"…You're kidding?"

Kubota smiled down at him.  "Unless you want to go home.  I'm always game for exploring the back of the fridge.  I think we still have that natto that Kasai-san dropped off when you were sick.   Remember how much you liked that?" 

Tokitoh grimaced.  "…Baka…."

"I know.  I know."  Kubota bent down to pick up the coffees.  "Think they'll let us bring these in?"  He started to head towards the doorway of the restaurant.

Tokitoh looked down at his phone, and at the "Kubo-chan." that blinked for a moment on the screen before going blank.  He looked back up.  "Kubo-chan."

"Hm?"  Kubota turned back to face him.

He turned his eyes away and chewed his lip for a second but then looked back again "….sorry…for today."

Kubota only smiled, "What, you didn't do anything to apologize for."  He walked back over to where Tokitoh was standing.  "Besides-" He bent over and took another sip from the drink Tokitoh was still holding.  "That's my line, isn't it?" 

Tokitoh returned him his usual confused look and Kubota laughed.  With one arm holding the canned coffees to his chest, he took the other and encircled Tokitoh's shoulders.  "C'mon."

Tokitoh nodded and allowed himself to be gently pulled forward.  He slipped his phone into his pocket.

Kubota squeezed his shoulder.  "We never did find that CD, did we?"

Tokitoh gave a slight shrug.  "Doesn't matter.  Didn't really want it anyway."

"Oh?  Then what did you want?"

Tokitoh stopped for a second.  Kubota just looked down at him.  He glared back up.  "Whaddya think?  To get away from the stupid rain."

Kubota looked at him for a moment and then looked up.  "Ah, but it looks like it hasn't stopped yet."

Tokitoh's eyes followed.  The sky had grown darker as the afternoon drifted into evening.  The rain which had been falling since early morning continued to hit the covering above and slide off into the street.   He shrugged.  "Like I give a damn.  No lame-ass rain is gonna stop us…right?"  He turned to Kubota who was still looking up.  

"No…"  Kubota lowered his gaze until their eyes met.  "No, I don't think so."

"Damn straight.  Now, c'mon.  I'm starving."  Tokitoh moved ahead, pulling Kubota along.  

"Hai, hai."  Kubota laughed and allowed himself to be pulled through the flaps of cloth that hung at the entranceway, leaving the sound of the Saturday crowds and the falling rain behind.

^^


End file.
